Policy

Policy Update: Research Impacts of Recent Executive Orders and Memos – and a Call to Action to the ASPB Community

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Since President Donald Trump took office on January 2025, a series of executive actions have shaken the research community. Several executive orders were released that targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and climate initiatives and that direct agencies to generate lists of existing grants supporting these activities. Furthermore, on January 27, the Office of Management … Read more

ASPB Signs Coalition Letter in Support of Science; Publication Pending in the Chronicle of Higher Education

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ASPB has joined a coalition of scientific organizations, led by the American Psychological Association, in signing onto a letter that serves as a powerful, collective statement from the signatories. The letter, which will be published in the next print issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education, emphasizes the importance of science and lets members of … Read more

ASPB Calls on Congress to Take Action to Restore Data

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Organizations and individuals across the nation signed a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to address the recent removal of federal data at various agencies. Public data has been selectively removed from US government agency websites, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of … Read more

ASPB Joins Call for Increased USDA Program Funding

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On February 4, 2025, ASPB joined more than 40 organizations in urging Congress to increase crucial US Department of Agriculture (USDA) program funding in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). In a letter to Congressional leadership, ASPB and others outline how USDA programs “support America’s farmers, improve the security of our food supply, and restore our nation’s … Read more

Policy Update: Federal Judge Vacates USDA Rule Regulating Biotech Crops

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On December 2, 2024, the United States District Court of the Northern District of California vacated the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) SECURE Rule, which was finalized in 2020 as an update that enabled the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to provide regulatory guidance for gene-edited crops. The SECURE Rule was adopted after … Read more

Science Policy Update: EPA Releases Final Herbicide Strategy

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By Elizabeth Stulberg, PhD, and Victoria Swiler, Lewis-Burke Associates LLC The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final Herbicide Strategy on August 20, a move that it anticipates will protect more than 900 federally endangered and threatened (“listed”) species from the potential impacts of herbicides. Since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973, … Read more

Weighing in on GMO Technology Regulation

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In late December 2023, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reopened the comment period on a recent proposal that outlined five additional exemptions for “plants with modifications that could be achieved through conventional breeding.” USDA APHIS coordinates responsibilities for Biotechnology Regulatory Services, which protect plant health and implement … Read more

ASPB Joins 64 Organizations Urging Funding for AgARDA

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On March 8, 2023, ASPB, together with 64 other organizations, signed a letter addressed to the Subcommittee on Agriculture to urge $50 million in funding for the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AgARDA). “Advanced research agencies have been effectively deployed in defense, energy, and health to tackle the biggest challenges facing these industries in … Read more

ASPB Signs Letter Supporting Farm Bill Investment

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ASPB, together with more than 50 other organizations, signed a letter to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees requesting $8 billion in food and agriculture research, facilities, Extension, and education in the Farm Bill. The letter urges the committee to consider that the most important “food and agricultural advancements rely on a continuous pipeline of … Read more

ASPB Backs LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, Now Referred in Senate

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On June 13, 2022, ASPB, together with 90 scientific organizations, signed a letter in support of the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act. The bill would require federal surveys to include data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity on a voluntary basis and ensure that lawmakers and federal agencies have the comprehensive data they need to … Read more

Funding Opportunity: USDA Releases FY 2022 Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative RFA

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released a request for applications (RFA) for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI). AG2PI aims to advance scientific understanding of genomes and phenomes of plants and animals of significance to American agriculture. This is the second RFA … Read more

ASPB Signs Letter to Eliminate Barriers to FDA’s Draft Guidance on Gene Editing

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On April 19, 2022, the Ag Biotech Alliance, of which ASPB is a member, sent a letter to key members of Congress to include in the Fiscal Year 2023 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (Agriculture) Appropriations bill to provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the necessary resources to … Read more

ASPB Signs Letter Supporting Agricultural Research, Innovation, and Infrastructure

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ASPB is pleased to sign a letter urging U.S. House and Senate Democratic leadership to prioritize and protect the vital investments in agricultural climate research, agricultural innovation, and agricultural research infrastructure within the Build Back Better human and climate infrastructure package.  These proposed investments are a generational down payment to fill critical R&D gaps and … Read more

ASPB Signs Letter Urging Support for NSF Funding in Infrastructure/Reconciliation and Appropriations

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ASPB is pleased to sign a letter urging U.S. House and Senate Democratic leadership to prioritize and protect the vital investments in agricultural climate research, agricultural innovation, and agricultural research infrastructure within the Build Back Better human and climate infrastructure package.  These proposed investments are a generational down payment to fill critical R&D gaps and … Read more

Department of Energy Announces Early Career Research Program for FY 2022

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Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it is accepting proposals for the 2022 DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program to support the research of outstanding scientists early in their careers. The program will support over 60 early career researchers for five years at U.S. academic institutions and DOE National Laboratories. Early … Read more

Please Share Your Thoughts with Us

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Thank you for taking the time to read ASPB President Maureen McCann’s letter regarding the ASPB Board of Director’s recent decision to reaffirm a commitment to holding Plant Biology 2023 in Savannah, GA. Now that you’ve done so, we’d welcome your thoughts on the approaches that ASPB should take toward identifying future conference venues and … Read more

Funding Opportunity for Post-Bac Research

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NSF has released a Dear Colleague Letter highlighting an RFP for PIs on active awards. Learn more about this new program in this letter from NSF Communications Specialist Jared Dashoff. The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) recognizes the importance of early-career research experiences, especially for individuals contemplating a career in science, … Read more

Letter Expressing Support for the America Grows Act of 2021

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ASPB has signed on a letter to Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member John Boozman, Chairman Patrick Leahy, Vice Chairman Richard Shelby, Chairman Jeff Merkley, and Ranking Member John Hoeven expressing support for the America Grows Act of 2021 (S.1371), a bipartisan bill Senators Durbin and Moran have recently introduced that would significantly increase our nation’s … Read more

ASPB Signs Letter Supporting $11.5 billion of Funding to Support America’s Agricultural Research Infrastructure

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ASPB is pleased to be a signee in support of funding of $11.5 billion to support America’s agricultural research infrastructure.  As you consider new initiatives to support rural America and investments in the agricultural economy, we strongly urge you to include a federal agricultural research infrastructure investment of $11.5 billion over a period of five … Read more